Surf's up! Waves as high as 50 feet expected at Bay Area beaches

Posted Dec 16 2018 08:43AM PST

Video Posted Dec 16 2018 08:42AM PST

Updated Dec 16 2018 08:45AM PST

A high-surf warning will be in effect from 9 a.m. Sunday until 9 a.m. Monday, during which time people are being told to stay off beaches, coastal rocks and away from ocean marinas and breakwaters, according to the National Weather Service.

What the weather service describes as "energetic" waves will build through the day Sunday, peaking Sunday night into Monday morning. Waves will begin to gradually subside late Monday night into Tuesday, the weather service said in a statement Saturday night. These waves are expected to create breakers often reaching between 25 and 40 feet, with occasional swells resulting in 50-foot-high breakers.

The larger the waves, the farther inland they will go, making what are normally safe beaches potentially dangerous into Monday. Not only will the forceful waves come farther onto land - and potentially pull people back into the ocean -- but big wave can also toss logs and other debris onto the beaches, the weather service says.

The high surf warning has prompted the organizers of the Mavericks Surf Competition to say the event will not be held Monday, but could still happen later in the week.